MXR has unveiled the Textures Granular Synth Engine, a pedal that transforms your guitar or bass into evolving ambient pads, glitchy rhythmic textures, pitch-shifted soundscapes, and shimmering reverbs using the power of granular synthesis.
Rather than functioning like a traditional delay, the Textures records incoming audio and breaks it into tiny “grains” that can be manipulated in real time. Players can reverse playback, shift pitch, freeze notes into sustained drones, introduce randomized movement, and feed grains back into themselves to create cascading ambient effects. Built-in reverb, filter, and vibrato further expand its sonic range.
To help players get started, MXR includes eight onboard presets covering everything from octave loops and warped synth textures to glitch effects and lush sub-octave pads. Those sounds can be used as-is or serve as jumping-off points for deeper experimentation.
The pedal operates in three distinct modes.
- Delay Mode continuously captures and replays incoming audio as manipulated grains, offering everything from subtle echoes to heavily processed repeats
- Auto-Freeze Mode automatically captures notes and chords, sustaining them as evolving ambient layers
- Layers Mode records up to four independent notes or chords into separate buffers, allowing players to build stacked harmonies and orchestral-style textures similar to the company’s Layers pedal
A comprehensive control set allows users to shape nearly every aspect of the granular engine. Dedicated knobs adjust grain size, overlap, pitch, reverse playback, delay time, regeneration, and wet/dry mix. Holding the Reverse or Mode buttons unlocks secondary parameters, including randomization, reverb, filter, vibrato, and tap-tempo functions.
The Textures Granular Synth Engine also offers extensive connectivity, including expression pedal support, compatibility with the MXR Split + Tap controller for hands-free preset changes and freeze functions, and configurable stereo I/O with mono, wet/dry, and true stereo operation.
Get the MXR Textures here for $269.99 via Sweetwater, or here via Guitar Center and here via Musician’s Friend.
